Gianni Versace

"THE body should be reconfigured by the clothes, never again the other way round," <B> Donatella Versace </B> said this evening, promising an autumn/winter 2007-8 collection "for all those women who do not wish to alter their bodies merely to satisfy the vagaries of fashion". With Elizabeth Hurley (pink strapless mini dress, huge diamonds at the neck, perfectly coiffed hair to match an even more perfect pout throughout), and Arun Nayer in the front row alongside Trudie Styler, the show was a fitting, fabulous end to what has overall been considered a successful and exciting Milan Fashion Week. If one or two other mega-bucks shows chose Veronica Lake as their muse, for Versace it was Faye Dunaway’s Bonnie Parker who stole the moment – the models with their berets, leather or cashmere trenches and shift dresses were romantic, daring and sexy in equal measure. Long gone are the days when Donatella presented sex-on-legs without relief. These days she impresses the fashion pack each season with an improved understanding of the talent of her brother who founded the company – it's not just the flesh-baring wow factor that sells clothes after all, but considered structure, unique use of materials and a subtle skimming of the prevailing trends that works. OK, and a bit of bare flesh too. Inspired by Brice Marden's study of monochrome that was exhibited in New York's MoMA, the collection was based on an impressive spectrum of grey: “charcoal, pearl, asphalt, marl, gunmetal, nickel, steel or London fog”, we’re told. Coats had glittering panels at the empire line before falling in undulating fur, dresses were body conscious with sexy (but not <i>too</I> sexy), dipped backs or came in liquid mercury with mirrored embellishments. Trousers were neatly tailored and teamed with brown chiffon pleated blouses and snakeskin coats with fur sleeves had all the power that this week seems to have been summing up for next winter. There was a killer pair of white jeans – surely as much a nod to the soon-to-be-Mrs Nayar in the front row as was Daria Werbowy's empire lined backless wedding dress that made up the finale – and relaxed, sleeveless cardigans showed that while she’s still the sassiest lady around, Donatella knows how to let us relax. Coral, scarlett and peacock blue broke up the palette and the dress spectrum went from skinny-rib black lamé to finely pleated chiffon to the floor as if she was proving her talent from A to Z. Knowing that our youngest star player, Christopher Kane, was backstage playing consultant gave the British press even more reason to be proud – his knotted leather detailing acting as a subtle wave to us all. (February 23 2007, PM)